Automatic door operating mechanism



July 17, 1934. A. P. KONTER AUTOMATIC DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM Filed Nov. 28, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet in. l l ionic-)inzien lu- 6 .HA ||||||||||l r IIII i im@ Nw y s July 17, 1934.` A. P. KONTER 1,966,762

AUTOMATIC DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM Filed Nov.28. 1952 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented July 17, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AUTOMATIC DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM Claims.

This invention relates to automatic door operating mechanism, and more particularly to mechanism of this nature adapted to be used for different types of doors such as hinged doors, slid- '5 ing doors or overhead doors. The principal objectfof the invention is to provide a safe and reliable operating unit which can readily be installed above or at the side of the door, either angularly related thereto or parallel therewith and which includes a, relatively rsmall nonreversible electric motor for opening and closing the doors, a further object of the invention is to provide such unit with a traveling head or carriage adapted to be connected to the doors to be `operated upon, which head is guided in a track,

forming theframe of the unit and is provided with switching means for controlling the motor of the unit, to stop the traveling head at predetermined positions, when the doors connected therewith have reached fully closed or open position. A still further object of the invention is to provide a door operating unit with an endlesschain drive coupled with the traveling head, whichchain drive embodies operating means for switching means controlling the motor of the unit whereby these operating means may be readily adjusted with respect to the chain drive.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will more readily be understood'as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the combination of parts described and claimed in the following specification, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the operating unit according to the invention; o

Figure 2 is a side view of the operating unit shown in Figure 1; o Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view of the wiring system, showing the several points of control;

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view on line 4--4 "of Figure 1; y

Figurey 5ris a cross sectional'view on line 5-5 of Figure 1; f n Figure 6 is a longitudinal fragmentary sectional view on line 6-6 of Figure 5;

vFigure '7 is a cross sectional View on line 7 7 o! Figure 1;

1 Figure 8 isa longitudinal fragmentary sectional `rvFigure 9 is a cross. sectionual view on line 9-9 v of Figure 1;*4

" `Figure 10 is a cross sectional view on line 10--10 `of Figure 1; and

Figure 11 is a diagrammatic view showing theV doors of a double garage hooked up with the operating unit for selective orjoint operation of the doors; and

Figure 12 is a diagrammatic View of the hook v up of the doors of a single garage with the operating unit.

Referring to the drawings A represents a door operating unit embodying two oppositely arranged channel irons 2, secured in spaced parallel relationship to each other, and provided with upper and lower flanges 3 and 4, respectively. An angle iron 5, attached by means of bolts 6 to the upper flanges 3 of channels 2 connects the outer ends of said channels together, and a motor supporting platform 7, provided with laterally extending attaching arms 8, bolted to the depending web portions of said channels, connects the inner or opposite ends of channel irons 2 together. Channel irons 2 may be secured to the ceiling by any suitable means, not shown. The unit also includes a carriage or traveling head 10 which reciprocates on the lower flanges 4 of channel irons 2 when the unit is being operated. Traveling head 10 comprises a rectangular base plate 11 pivotally supporting at its four corners grooved 30 rollers 12 which have free rolling engagement with the edges of the lower flanges 4 of channels 2, and thus efficiently guiding the head and preventing same from tilting and binding. Plate 11 carries a short shaft 12 fixed thereto by 85 means of angular brackets l13, in turn secured to the bottom of said plate by bolts 14. Suitably connected to the shaft 12 is a connecting rod 15 adapted to be attached to one or more doors D by means of links 15'. Connecting rod 15 ex- 90 tends slidably through a small opening 12 in shaft 12 and is yieldingly held against axial movement with respect to the shaft by compression springs 16, 16 sleeved vupon said rod and seated at their respective outer ends against a collar 17 and a nut 18 on said rod, the inner ends of the springs being seated against the shaft.

The carriage 10 is driven from a nonreversible motor 19, by means of an endless sprocket chain 20, the respective flights of which are confined between channel irons 2. This chain meshes with a drive sprocket 21 and an idle sprocket 22, supported at opposite ends ofthe channel irons 2, by plates or brackets 23 and 24, in which the respective vertically disposed sprocket shafts 25 105 and 26 are rotatably mounted. Thus shaft25 is rotatably mounted in a bearing 27 rigidly connected to a plate 23 by means of screws 28. Bracket 23 in turn being rigidly attached to the upperflanges y:tot channels 2 by means ofbolts no 2S'. Shaft 26 is pivotally mounted in a bearing 29 secured to a plate 24 by means of a screw 30 and bracket 24 is slidably clamped to the anges 3 by means of strips 24 and bolts 24, thus making it possible to place chain 20 under tension by means of a hook shaped screw bolt 31 extended through a perforation 32 in angle iron 5. Mounted onwthe free'end ofshat-25 is a large pulley '33 driven Ll:iy.aV-shaped belt'34Y-which EL? connects pulley 33 with a small pulley 34 fixed to a shaft 35. This shaft 35 is rotatably mounted at its lower end on a bracket or plate 36 andat its opposite end is secured to an angularly shaped strap 37, in turn attached tonsaidabrahketcby i bolts 37', which bolts also secure the plateii to the upper flanges 3 of channel .members.2. .'A large pulley 38 mounted on thelower end of pulley 39 on motor shaft 40, by means.. oalsecond V shaped belt 38.

Sprockets 2lrand 22fandchain20-are continueously driven inone. direction: bythe -nonreversible motor, whereas it is necessary that the carriage l0.have reciprocal movement onitsrtrack 4. =This iseocomplished by. providing .one of the links 4l of the chain with a downwardly projecting .pin 42, Whicht-pivotally engages vwithnasleeve member A35-,adapted to. slide ytransversely..upon :a rod` 44-mountedonvplate 11. by means of Vbrackets45.

-Whenthe pin.42 reaches andisabout to turn with one fof the sprocketsV 21: or .22, the doors D willhave-been either fullyopenedor ullyrclosed, 'by-.the movement-of plate l0, connecting rod -15 andflinksA 15.- Consequentlyitis .necessary that the motorbe automatically.stoppedand travelof plate l0 halted -when the 'doors have. reached Vtheir limit otmovement. Thisis eiectedwhen a lug'49connected to one ofthe links of sprocket --chain20 reaches andi aotuates one of two switches 47,i48,-mounted onthe-'innerside of end.wall.57 `:-oiafbox.50, to'open motor circuit 46. Switches 47,. .48I are.. connected. with( :the respective levers 51-and 52,-by-.means ofeswitch operating.` arms 65 or 66. Assuming for example switch 66 has been operated, then current will ow from power line a through switch 66 into line b to and through fuse box 67 and motor 19 to grounded line c. After chain 20 has traveled for a short distance the lug member 49 which holds one of the switch members 47 or 48 open, will become disengaged from .the horizontal rodi'59-ofthe respective `switch .member and thus .permit closing. of said switch member by gravity. With both switches 85 "47 and48 thus closed the circuit remains closed even when push button 66 is released. Therefore carriage 10 will continue its travel until it approa'chesl.the-opposite end of its reciprocatory `.travel and until lug member 49 engages with the vcorresponding..horizontal rod 59 of the other of ..66, by bolts 67 `(see Figures- 1- and 7 ),to'timenthe interruptionfof .the .linewith rpectto themovements-of .carriage 10.

105 .Rod 59 .maybebent'up-or. cut oi'tocompensate .for thenmmalidling movement". of the :motor after either. switch .47 or 48 has vbeen opened.

.The operating -unit may .also be fusedl forspperating .a .double garage having two .hingeds doors n() 2.69, see Figure 11, in which the reciprocatory car- .riage lo ci saidunit is coupled withfthev-two hinged doors of ythe garage byrmeans. of two connecting. rods .70. If .desired'oneof rods15'...may

abe disconnected-so .thatonly onefdoor is operateduu;

' It is preferably. desirable Ito provide.-means yfior `switching.onfa light positioned above thedooror at any other desirable\location,-whenf.the-doorfis 53fand-links54- ...Levers 51.-.and52- are..pivotally .connectedattheir ends 55 to plates orbrackets -56,.depending. Afrom the. endfwalls57 of..boxw50, .the pivotal connections ofnsaidelevers -being .lat-

- erally onset-with respectfto said switch members to .permit automatic closing. osaid switchesby f. gravity. The free ends'58..of-levers.. 52. support .horizontally arranged rods 59-` adapted to..be...en

opened. In Figure 3,- I'havefillustratedaelighting circuit .7o.adaptedto be'opened and closedaby-lm three Wayswitch 47.

....ing. a. door, Vcomprising a' pairof tracks, amar-,125 1 riage riding ont said tracks, an endless. chain conr gaged. with. and`be lifted lby #the .lug. member...49,

fwhenta rollenl. on thelug^member engagesa -bentvup'portion.60..on oneendfofY rods 59, which movementis. communicated. to.. the: switches.. 47 101248. ...A .secondroller 62..on.lug. member v49,-.1:ides upon. av short guide :rail 68- on. channeliron. 2 .as the switches are .reached,.thus insuringpositive ^contactbetween the roller. 61. 4and v.rod .59. 'i The l latter. .is :held in .elevated position. until roller. 62 passes over. tlie.guiderail..63, whereuponltheree -nected with said-.carriage for reciprocatorymovement thereof; a vnon-reversible` vmotor in driving connection with.. saidchain, -an electric. circuit ing means connected seriesfinfsaid-...circuit means bridging; said tracks `between their opposite ends and connected therewith for supporting ysaidfswitclfiing.'means, a: gravity.` actuated-lever system` for automatically closing reach of. sa.id35

.switching i means, @horizontally and vertically -.ends..ot.levers.52, `52 .willbeiree todrop bygravlity,r to close one-.of .switches .47,L48.

^lfheoperation-of the devicewill. bereadily unr.-derstood` .in connection withthe .showing..of..the illustrated circuit. L. In thencrmal-positionbf..the :parts-.- when `the carriage 10 completes .-onedeg of .its `reciprocatorylmovement and-the fdoorssD op- ZO `eratedtherebyfare substantially fully. openedor fclosed; thecircuit is l .interrupted pby 1one'` of. :the switch. members2i7l '48 which .flatter i.is movedfto and held'l in fopen. positionf by .lugfmember 149.

' To close the'motor circuit'the operator actua'tes 14' either ofn arpluralityy ofpush buttonswitches'64,

shiftable means attached to said chain-for cooperationfwith saidlever system and means for vertically shifting said latter means-for-.autmnat :fically'openingf and holdingeither ofesaid switchesMo *ing a: door, .comprisinga pair. of.` tracks arxsarriage riding on said:tracksg1an endless .chain'piv- .M5

otallyf and slidably--connected with-.said carriage for reciprocatory movement thereof, .a.nonre .Versib1ef.m0t0r:in. driving :connection .withsfsaid chain, an electric circuit for :said Jmotorp' two automatically. lclosedz switching: means :mounted .150

on said tracks connected in series in said circuit, each of said switching means embodying a switch and a lever system for actuating said switch, means arranged between the opposite ends of said tracks for supporting said switching meansr vertically shiftable means connected to said chain and cooperating with said lever systems for automatically opening either of said switches when said chain travels predetermined distances and holding said switches open, while said chain continues to travel a predetermined distance, and means on said tracks for vertically shifting said latter means for switching operations.

3. A door operating unit for opening and closing a door including an endless chain, a nonreversible motor for driving said chain, a circuit for controlling said motor, and means for automatically opening said circuit when said chain travels a predetermined distance and holding the switch open while the chain continues to travel a predetermined distance, said means including vertically shiftable means coupled with said chain, switching means connected in series in said circuit, and pivotally supported lever systems, embodying horizontal rods adapted to contact with and to be shifted and held in shifted position by said vertically shiftable means.

4. A door operating unit for opening and closing a door comprising a pair of parallel tracks connected at opposite ends with each other, a

carriage riding on said tracks, a pair of sprocket wheels mounted on said tracks, an endless sprocket chain mounted on said wheels in driving connection with said carriage, a non-reversible motor in driving connection with one of the links of said sprocket chain, an electric circuit for said motor, gravity actuated switching means connected in series in said circuit for controlling same, supporting means for said switching means bridging and connecting said tracks between their opposite ends, a single means attached to another link of said chain for automatically opening either one of said switching means, and means for automatically shifting said single opening means vertically to effect opening of said switching means at predetermined points and for a predetermined length in the travel of the chain.

5. In a door operating unit including an endless chain, a nonreversible motor for driving said chain, and a circuit for controlling said motor, switching means for opening and closing said circuit, vertically shiftable means coupled with said chain and travelling therewith for controlling said switching means and stationary cam means for vertically shifting said vertically shiftable means and holding same in shifted position, while said chain travels through a predetermined distance.

AUGUST P. KONTER. 

